Cabbiagke-spring



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

D. M. LANE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CARRIAGE-SPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 20,497, dated June 8, 18158.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVIS M. LANE, of IVest Philadelphia, in the county of Phila delphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Springs for Vehicles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a. part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a transverse vertical section of my improvement. Fig. 2, is a side view to ditto.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

This invention relates to a novel mode of constructing what is known as the elliptic spring for vehicles, whereby the spring is rendered much lighter than usual, equally as st-rong and elastic, and the cost of construction much reduced below that of the ordinary steel elliptic spring.

The invention consists in constructing the spring of steel and wood combined, curved bars of an elastic wood, such as hickory, being secured in a peculiar way to the inner and Isteel main plates as hereinafter described whereby the desired object is attained.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A, A', represent the two inner and main plates of an elliptic spring, the plates being curved and connected at their ends as usual, viz., by having eyes a, formed at their ends through which eyes, screw bolts l), pass. The plates A A', are constructed of steel and precisely the same as those of the usual elliptic springs that are constructed wholly of steel.

B, B', represent two wooden bars of curvedform and fitted to the outer surfaces of the plates A, A'. These bars may be of hickory, that probably would be the most preferable wood on account of its great strength and elasticity. The bars B, B', are

thickest at their centers and gradually taper toward each end.

The ends of the bars B, B', are fitted in sockets c, which are formed at the ends of the plates A, A', said sockets being firmly secured to the plates A, A. The ends of the bars B, B', are fitted loosely in the sockets c, which areof sulficient length to serve as guides to the ends of the bars and are made of taper form as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

rThe bars B, B', are secured to their respective plates A, A', by screw bolts d, d, which pass through the bars and plates at their centers, said bolts also securing the spring to its bolster and axle.

The ends of the bars B, B', are allowed to work longitudinally or endwise in the sockets c, so that the requisite degree of elasticity may be obtained, and at t-he same time the ends of the bars be retained in proper place.

Springs constructed according to the within described invention have been practicably tested and found to operate equally as well as those made wholly of steel, while possessing the advantage of being much lighter, far less expensive to construct, less liable to get out of repair, and when out of repair capable of being repaired with less trouble and expense than the usual springs.

I do not claim broadly the combining of wood and steel in the manufacture of springs for vehicles, for this has been previously done; but, having thus described my invention,

That I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

Providing the extremities of the plates A, A', with sockets (c) to receive the ends of the wooden springs B, B', as and for the purposes herein set forth.

DAVIS M. LANE.

Witnesses JOEL LANE, EVANS H. FRYER. 

